The PetsitUSA.com Blog

I get a number of emails from people who are concerned about pet food, and lately most of the questions and comments seem to be about Nutro. These people are not alone. If you take a look at a long list over at Consumer Affairs, you’ll find a lot of comments about Nutro, some positive but most, not so much. Some people claim their pets have done wonderfully on the food while others believe their pets have become ill, or even died, from eating Nutro. I haven’t heard any “official” news about any Nutro issues, but if you feed Nutro, you might want to take a look at the Consumer Affairs website and make up your own mind.

Many of the people I hear from are angry and are reaching out for answers. They and their beloved pets are suffering and simply want to know why and what they can do about it. I honestly wish I had the answers…but I don’t. Unless every can and bag of pet food is tested for contaminants, sadly, many pet owners will not have the complete peace of mind that comes from knowing what they’re feeding their pets is safe. Most of the pet food companies don’t appear to have learned much at all from the recall and therefore, don’t seem to be that concerned with peace of mind for their customers.

I continually tell pet owners to do some research and find out what other people are saying - good and bad - about the food they’re considering. Keep up on the news releases and other stories about pet food, and read them all with a critical eye. Do some research on different foods and different ways of feeding. Talk to the pet food companies - ask questions, and tell them what you’d like to see done differently. With all of the information you gather, make the best decision you can. I know, it’s much easier said than done, but the worst thing anyone can do is to sit back and blindly believe what pet food companies want us to believe. You’re the best advocate your pet has - don’t put that job into the hands of big money-making companies. Their priorities aren’t the same as yours.

A few newly reported pet food issues of note…

Reuters reports that dry dog food has been confirmed as the source of a salmonella outbreak in people in 2006 & 2007. This investigation is the first one to identify dry dog food as the source of human Salmonella infections. Here’s another report about this and names the pet foods involved, Red Flannel and Krasdale. They were both recalled last summer by Mars Petcare.

Champion Pet Foods explains “larger than normal” bone fragments in their Origen brand pet food.

Technorati Tags: pet food, cats, dogs, health

I love happy endings, and have one to tell about that happened today.

While Archie, Lydia, and I were out on our walk today we met a sweet, young basset. At first I didn’t think too much of it because he was in a yard, but it became apparent pretty quickly that it wasn’t his yard. As we walked…he followed…and followed! I asked people along the way if they knew him, but no such luck. They all said something like, “awww…he’s so cute but I don’t know him. Good luck.”

There was no way he was going to go anywhere but where we were going, so when we got home I hurried him inside the house so he wouldn’t get out in the street and get hit. Since I live on a fairly busy street, that’s always the first thing that runs through my mind when I see a loose dog.

I called the number on his tag but it was an old number, and then called the vet’s office (he had an old rabies tag on) hoping they’d have another number. No such luck…the only number they had was the one on Bocephus’ tag.

I had Bocephus in my backyard and was going to go out and put up some signs when he gave me a bit of a scare. He jumped up on a table, and if he could jump up on a table, I’m fairly certain he’d be able to get over the fence. (thoughts of that busy street again). On a long shot, I loaded Bocephus into the car and decided to drive the neighborhood to try to find his people. It worked! After stopping 5 or 6 people along the way, I actually found his home!

I was about to give up and go get my signs when I saw a guy getting out of a car. I barely got the words “do you know this dog?” out of my mouth before he said, “that’s my son’s dog.” Bocephus seemed pretty darn happy to be back home.

He’s is safe and sound now, but Bocephus’ adventure is a good reminder for people with pets to make sure their tags are up-to-date. And, if your pets are microchipped or tattooed, be sure the company that they’re registered with has the correct contact info. Another safeguard is to have multiple numbers on dog tags - home, cell, and maybe even the home or cell number of a friend or relative. The more info, the better!

No, that picture isn’t Bocephus, but he looked an awful lot like that. Getting him home was a bigger priority than getting his picture!

Technorati Tags: lost dog, pets

I’ve never seen a polar bear in the wild. I probably never will…and I’m guessing the same is true for most people. Even so, when I heard today that the great white bear was put on the Endangered Species list it made me incredibly sad, disappointed, and even a bit angry. The ice the bears call home is melting due to global warming, making it more and more difficult for them to survive.

The polar bear, whose Arctic hunting grounds have been greatly reduced by a warming climate, will be placed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Wednesday.

But the long-delayed decision to list the bear as a threatened species may prove less of an impediment to industries along the Alaskan coast than many environmentalists had hoped. While further protecting the polar bear from direct or immediate threats — like hunting — the Interior Department added stipulations, seldom invoked under the act, that will make it relatively easy for oil and gas exploration and development activities to proceed.

The decision builds on scientific evidence about the retreat of sea ice, which the bears use as a platform to hunt seals and as a pathway to the Arctic coasts where they den. But it does not directly link the threat to the bears to the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The New York Times has more about the polar bear.

Not everybody agrees that global warming is real, but I’m certainly a believer, and it saddens me to think I’m part of the problem. Sure, I’m becoming more aware of my carbon footprint and am making changes in my life, but is it enough? How much of a difference will my CFC light bulbs, recycling, limits in driving, and other changes make? I don’t know, but certainly I hope my small effort will help.

For being such a “superior” species, sure are doing terrible things to our earth, and with every animal that slips away due to our own actions, we’re just digging ourselves into a deeper hole.

Technorati Tags: polar bear, endangered species, global warming

Tequila’s trying out Fresh Step’s new Fresh Expressions™ Lavender Valley™ Scoopable Litter, and so far, so good! I was a little concerned at first whether either of us would like it, but we’re both giving it a paws up!

As far as Tequila’s concerned, since she’s a cat, (and you know how cats are) I wondered if she would get upset about the change. All she’s ever known is Fresh Step scoopable letter, so I hoped a bit of scent wouldn’t make a difference. She’s been using it for a few weeks now and doesn’t seem to care one way or another that it’s scented.

As for me, I tend to be a bit sensitive to scents, so I wasn’t sure if it would be too perfumey, like a lot of scented products are. I like lavender though so I decided to give it a try, and it’s not perfumey or overpowering at all. It’s got a very light scent and does seem to cut down on the odor a bit. Tequila’s always been a big water drinker though, so between that and the way the regular Fresh Step litter works, I’ve never needed a gas mask to clean her litter box!

In addition to the lavender scent, Fresh Step now has another new scented litter: Mountain Forest™ scoopable litter.

Technorati Tags: product review, cat litter, Fresh Step, cats

Menu Foods has reportedly agreed to settle on the lawsuits brought against them because of the pet food recall of last year. Although details were scheduled to be announced tomorrow, it has been postponed to later in the month.

Here’s the update from Menu Foods…

On April 1, 2008, the Hon. Noel Hillman, Judge of District Court, District of New Jersey, scheduled the filing of the anticipated settlement agreement and motion for preliminary approval for May 1, 2008, with a hearing for May 14, 2008.

After a telephone hearing today, the Court granted the parties a brief extension of time to complete the drafting of documents and pleadings related to the settlement and to permit time for review and signature by the parties. The parties advised the Court that they remain confident that these documents will be completed.

By Order issued today by the Court, the new dates are as follows:

May 20, 2008 — Filing of settlement agreement and the motion for preliminary approval; and

May 30, 2008, 9:30 a.m. – Hearing on the motion for preliminary approval of settlement agreement.

Pet owners with potential claims should not contact Menu Foods. If and when a definitive settlement agreement and claims process have been finalized and approved, the administrator of the settlement fund will give notice to pet owners with details on the procedure for making claims on the settlement fund.

Stay tuned…

Technorati Tags: pet food recall, Menu Foods

My friend Rozanne sent me this picture this morning, along with a story about how the horse got her artificial limb. At first I thought it was a pretty good Photoshop job, but it turns out this little pony, named Molly, does indeed have an artificial leg.

Just north of New Orleans, in the quiet community of St. Rose, Louisiana, Kaye Harris provides a haven for small ponies. She takes them to birthday parties and celebratory events throughout the south, making a business and a life for herself and her horses.

But as it did for many residents in the New Orleans area, Hurricane Katrina changed all of that. In spite of her own trials, Harris ventured out in the days following the storm and effectively turned her small farm – “Pony Paradise” – into a rescue facility for a number of animals in need of shelter.

In the months following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Kaye Harris returned home one day to find her rescued pony, Molly, being attacked by a rescued pit bull. Molly’s wounds were extensive and, for a time, Harris seriously doubted whether the 15-year-old, gray, Pony of the Americas would survive at all.

[…]

…Molly’s right front leg was amputated just below the knee. Initially, LSU doctors fitted her with a cast that included a built-in temporary prosthetic. As the hours passed, Molly continually rested herself, alternating sides and agreeably undergoing each evaluation.

“She made it obvious she understood she was in trouble,” said Moore. “Her relatively small size and her attitude, intelligence, and courage were the biggest factors that led us to believe that, for this type of procedure, she was as ideal a candidate as we could ever hope for. The other important factor is having a truly committed owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required for Molly.”

Read more about Molly from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

Lifesavers, Inc., the horse rescue where Molly lives, has even more.

Technorati Tags: Molly the pony, horse

From seattlepi.com…

Students leaving Pullman often drop off their pets with the Whitman County Humane Society.

The society says 30 percent of the animals it takes in all year arrive after the Washington State University graduation.

The Humane Society president, Greg Wust, says the staff tries to find homes for unwanted pets, but the departing owners leave a burden for staff and city of Pullman.

The thought of kids having their fun pets during their college years and then just tossing them aside really bothers me. I know going to college doesn’t always make a person smarter than others, and this certainly proves it!

And then there are stories like this…about people who have pets and wish they could take on more, which by the way, is the place I find myself in.

In my career as a visual journalist, I’ve seen some sad occasions through the lens of my camera. I’ve photographed grieving families at funerals and court proceedings, trying to distance myself as I fought off tears. Last week, I took a trip to the Connecticut Humane Society to tell another difficult story.

[…]

At the Humane Society, I was there to document animals who had been surrendered by their owners for financial reasons. The hardest part for me was knowing that I could help out one of these animals by adopting it.

I know I’m not alone in viewing my dogs as members of my family, so I can’t imagine what the owners of these animals went through in making the decision to surrender their pets. It must be bad enough to be facing eviction or foreclosure, and the uncertainty of whether you’ll have a roof over your head tonight. Having to make the choice to give up a beloved member of your family because you can no longer afford to care for him or her must be heartbreaking.

Here’s the rest.

Technorati Tags: pets, WSU

A recent poll by VPI found that many pet people think it’s perfectly acceptable to have their pets in their weddings…

VPI polled more than 3,000 of its policyholders to find that 42 percent involved a pet or plan to involve a pet in their wedding ceremony. Eleven percent did not include a pet in their wedding ceremony but had been to a wedding in which pets played a part, and the remaining 47 percent indicated that only humans participated in their wedding ceremony.

Tonya Guy-Williams, a VPI Pet Insurance policyholder from Clements, Md., chose to include her husky mix, Klondike, in her wedding. Klondike served as the ring-bearer and best man. Under the guidance of Tonya’s mother Linda, Klondike performed his duties without a hitch.

“He did fine with all of the people, and he never barked until the very end when we think the sun started to get to him,” said Tonya. “He is our baby. No one who knows us was surprised that we would want him in our wedding. They were more surprised that we found a tuxedo that fit.”

Here’s the rest.

I’ve never been married, so I’m not sure what I’d decide as far as my pets are concerned. I know Tequila wouldn’t be interested in walking down the aisle with me but I’m sure the dogs would live the attention. One thing I can say for sure though is that I tend to listen to what my dogs have to say about the men I date.

Years ago, my dog Lucy wasn’t all that crazy about a couple guys I dated and I didn’t listen. My mistake! I learned to rely on her what she had to say and in fact, made it a rule that any guy I date, had to meet her early on. If she didn’t like them - they were out, and I’m sure she saved me from more than one disaster!

Lucy’s no longer with me, so these days Lydia is my most reliable man-barometer. If she doesn’t like a guy, he’s doomed to join the list of rejects - sorry guys, but that’s just how it is around here. The Lydia stamp of approval is definitely a requirement, and although it may not be fool proof all the time, I will admit that sometimes her judgment is better than mine.

Archie and Tequila give me some cues too, but Archie tends to be a bit of a spaz at times. And since Tequila’s a cat there’s no telling what mood she’s in when she meets someone new.

So, anyway…who knows what the walk down the aisle might be for me but I can say that Archie, Lydia, and Tequila are part of the family so it’s a “love me, love my pets” kinda thing!

Technorati Tags: pets and weddings, pets, cats, dogs